Noise Pollution Disrupts Bird Behaviour Worldwide, Study Finds

A new global study has revealed that noise pollution is severely affecting bird behaviour, disrupting everything from mating songs to feeding and predator awareness.

Researchers reviewed nearly four decades of scientific studies and found that human-made noises—from traffic and construction to airplanes—are interfering with birds’ lives across six continents, with “strong negative effects” on reproduction.

Unlike previous studies focusing on individual species, this research analyzed data from 160 bird species published since 1990, revealing widespread patterns of disruption. The findings, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, show that noise pollution significantly impacts communication, foraging, aggression, physiology, habitat use, and reproductive success.

Birds rely heavily on sound to survive. They use songs to attract mates, calls to warn of predators, and chicks’ begging calls to signal hunger to their parents. Noise in their environment can mask these critical signals, forcing some birds to alter their courtship songs or disrupting parent-chick communication.

Lead researcher Natalie Madden, formerly of the University of Michigan, explained, “If there’s loud noise in the environment, can birds still hear signals from their own species?”

Common species affected include European robins, starlings, house sparrows, and great tits, highlighting that even familiar birds are struggling to adapt to the modern acoustic landscape.